Benuepheoc

*UPDATE ON RUMOURED COVID-19 INFECTIONS IN USHONGO AND GBOKO*

We were in Manor village in Ushongo and Gboko to see Mr. Terzungwe Azenda and Ms Msenda who were rumoured to be patients of the coronavirus and were alleged to have arrived the state from Lagos and Italy respectively.

*On Manor*
Our findings revealed that the suspect is a male, he is engaged in menial labour, also known as 'kurumi' in Sagamu, Ogun State from where he returned home on April 2, 2020. He is in self-isolation in Manor village and is asymptomatic for COVID-19. He granted an exclusive interview which we recorded. He expressed willingness to test for COVID-19 to put an end to speculations about his status.

*On Gboko*
The suspect is a 20 year old lady from Gboko who returned from Italy a year ago to attend the funeral of her father. According to her, she has been in Lagos since then and only returned to Gboko for the first year anniversary of her father's demise. Following her rumoured COVID-19 status, some medical practitioners in Gboko reached out to her and confirmed she is asymptomatic for COVID-19. She is however in self-isolation at her family house in Gboko South. She also expressed her willingness to subject herself to a test, if required to do so. The team respected her wish not to take any pictures or recordings of her.

*OTHER DEVELOPMENTS*
We were at the Gboko General Hospital where we were taken round a building currently undergoing renovation by the efforts of Private Medical Practitioners in Gboko as their contribution towards containing the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The building is to serve as Isolation and Treatment Centre. We were also told that staff of all hospitals in Gboko were trained last Saturday on managing the COVID-19 situation.

In a charge to ensure proper communication and douse anxiety, the RISKCOM pillar formed part of the team at Manor Village in Ikov Council Ward with members of the Surveillance Pillar to see one Terzungwe Azege returned from Sagamu, Ogun State on 2nd April, 2020. He was examined by Dr. Tyorough and Dr. Kertyo.

The data as at today

It was a fruitful Outing at welfare qtrs on the sensitisation by the RISK Committee on COVID-19

As at 12pm today

Governor Samuel Ortom Champions Public Response on COVID-19, Submit Self for Testing.

Hon Commissions for Information, Culture and Tourism Hon (Mrs) Ngunan Adingi leads the Rural awareness against COVID-19

*RISK COMMUNICATION TEAM STORMS USHONGO*

Following reports of stigmatization against a female health worker in Ushongo Town in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State, the Risk Communication Pillar of the State COVID-19 Coordinating Team visited the community to sensitize the people about the coronavirus.

Leader of delegation, Mr. Moses Jukul advised the people to avoid stigmatization of the sick and caregivers of the sick as such treatment would discourage people from revealing their health status especially as the nation battles the scourge of the coronavirus. Mr. Jukul reiterated the need for people to observe the stay at home order of government as it is the surest way of avoiding contact with people and staying safe of the coronavirus.

The Director of Planning, Research & Statistics at the National Orientation Agency, Hon. Mark Dewua in his remarks emphasised that government actions on the coronavirus was not intended to cause the people inconvenience but to safeguard the lives of the people and their loved ones. He encouraged the people to observe basic hygiene like social distancing, handwashing and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Mr. Dewua demonstrated handwashing under running water and application of hand sanitizer to the people and adviced them to cascade what they have learned to their families and community members.

Also addressing the gathering, the Chairman of Ushongo Local Government, Hon. Bemsen Agugu announced that the council has purchased 50 cartons of hand sanitizers for distribution across the 11 council wards of the Local Government Area. He further disclosed that an isolation center has been established in Lessel to address any health emergencies in the Area. He called on the people to avoid crowded gatherings as advised by government in their best interests.

The District Head of Ushongo, Chief Nathaniel Hoyo and other respondents welcomed the visit by the team which they described as timely as it had corrected erroneous perceptions about the mode of spread of the coronavirus among the people. They promised to embrace the message of the team and support all initiaves to contain the spread of the COVID-19.

The interaction was attended by traditional rulers, religious leaders, politicians, women and youth groups who maintained social distancing in their sitting arrangements.

Risk Communication Pillar of the Benue State COVID-19 pays a sensitization visit to Ushongo LG.

You may recall that the Benue Index case had generated undue distractions which at the course had exposed the life of a care giver -vely.

The Benue State RiskCom paid a sensitization and reorientation visit to the Mbayeh people of Ushongo LG for proper education on Prevention and Transmission of COVID-19.

Benue COVID-19 Quick response lines